Lichfield’s MP says he is becoming increasingly concerned that trans people are becoming demonised.
Michael Fabricant said that while protected spaces for women and girls must be maintained and enforced, respect and protection was needed for “genuine trans people”.
The Conservative MP used a House of Commons debate to ask Kemi Badenoch, Minister for Women and Equalities:
“While I fully understand the need for protected places for women – and I totally support this – and there are also issues when it comes to sports too, I am growing increasingly concerned that trans people are becoming demonised in some quarters.
“What is the Secretary of State doing to protect the interests, and very nature of genuine trans people?”
Michael Fabricant
The Minister replied:
“I want to emphasise that the Government believes in the principle of individual liberty, and in the humanity and dignity of every person.
“In everything we do, we want to make sure that we take the toxicity out of the debate.
“A lot of the demonisation is happening out there on social media – we have a responsibility to make sure that all trans people have that dignity and are looked after.
“In terms of what other things we’re doing, NHS England is working to expand clinical capacity in adult gender identity services by establishing new pilot clinics rooted in primary care and sexual health services, and four of those new clinics have opened since 2020 with a fifth opening this year.
“They will be able to provide a lot of the healthcare that trans people need.”
Kemi Badenoch
Speaking after the debate, Mr Fabricant said:
“While protected spaces for women and girls must be maintained and enforced, I am growing increasingly concerned that genuine trans people are becoming demonised in some quarters.
“I am aware that a small number of genuine trans people live in Lichfield which is a comparatively safe haven, but making the decision to transition is hard and traumatic enough already without having to suffer abuse too.
“Genuine trans people need and deserve our respect and protection too.”
Michael Fabricant
your party is the one demonising trans people
if you cared you would leave
I wonder if he’d attend a debate on the increasing use of food banks in his ‘comparatively safe haven’ constituency?
I haven’t heard him ask the relevant Sec. of State what he / she is doing about the cost of living crisis recently.
It just seems to me that Trans rights (while important) is such a minor almost non existent issue that the Tory’s are pretending to care and using it to their advantage (see SNP challenge) as nowt more than a convenient smoke screen to detract from major issues that all of us have to deal with and not just one that very few people face.
As ever Fabricant is happy to just bob along and toe the party lines.
Being a trans person in the UK at the monment is a nightmare. Hate crime is definitely on the rise and many trans people feel isolated and dehumanised by this government and the media. It may not be important to many but the amount of trans people being killed or assaulted for who they are is at a high level in the UK. You don’t hear about it as it’s not news is it. So yes it is important to alot of people out their who are mother’s , father’s, son’s and daughters to trans people. It’s as important as the financial crisis to a trans person. Where is all this expanded clinical services as I don’t see any. If anything services are being cut. It takes 5-6 years to even get your first appointment at a gender clinic. Many feel they can not cope and often commit suicide. Trans people are treated like garbage in the current system. It seems like the Tory’s want to stop treatment for trans people in all its entirety.
Cosmo, the govt is demonising many others as well. Hate crime affects other demographics not just trans & their families. But I understand your viewpoint.
Our govt is normalising hate speech in front of our eyes and I despair for this society I really do. It’s as though the school bullies have been let loose and the head teacher is out encouraging them.
If our MP genuinely cared about this issue he would leave the tories and speak out properly on behalf of those affected, but of course we all know that’s not going to happen.
Totally agree with Cosmo and Kitty: many forms of hate are on the rise under this government and in the wake of Brexit xenophobia. Trans people are some of the most vulnerable in any society where hate has been normalised. Even in a seemingly tolerant society, trans people are likely to face problems, so in today’s Tory Britain where our most fundamental human rights are under threat, it is even harder to combat hate targeting the trans community.
Mr Fabricant’s words would carry more weight if he didn’t have a history of stirring up hate against other target groups himself (such as Palestinians, Remainers). It’s high time our politicians showed more backbone in standing up to ignorance and hate generally, instead of seeing it as something to be harnessed by them when it suits their political aims.
His problem with this subject sums up the problems in the UK
Just how many trans people are the in his constituency? 10 possibly less
He spends more time pandering to a vocal minority than reprosenting wishes of the silent majority. Who pay his bloated salary.